This week we scored another victory on the path to stopping Kinder Morgan’s pipeline and tankers.

On January 30, the BC government announced proposed oil spill regulations that will restrict new shipments of diluted bitumen across the province, while announcing a scientific review of the risks of diluted bitumen spills.

By restricting the transport of diluted bitumen across BC waterways and coastline, the BC government has put a roadblock in the way of this already uncertain project.

Kinder Morgan and the Alberta and federal governments are vowing the pipeline will still be built, but with BC’s new regulations they won’t be able to turn the taps on.

Photo by Penny Tennenhouse.

This bold action is thanks to the years of hard work of people just like you – thousands standing up time and again to demand our governments take action to defend our communities, our health and our environment from the risks of oil spills. And we are indebted to the strong leadership of Indigenous communities who are in court, in the streets and on the land to oppose this pipeline and tankers.

Now it’s up to us to make sure the BC government fully enacts these proposed regulations.

British Columbians know that a spill into BC waterways or coastline would be catastrophic to human health and safety as well as the environment our jobs and economy depend on. It would likely mean the extinction of endangered orca whales in the Salish Sea. The spill of diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan in 2010 caused severe human health impacts and still hasn’t been cleaned up.

We will not let that happen in BC. Kinder Morgan’s pipeline and tankers have no place here.

The provincial government will be asking for public comment on its new regulations. Stay tuned on how you can have your say to help keep BC residents, lands and waters safe from the risk of oil spills. It will take all of us to keep the pressure on this government – thank you for all you do.

For now, if you’re on Vancouver Island, head to Nanaimo on February 2. Prime Minister Trudeau is holding a town hall. This is a chance to let him know you expect our governments to protect BC’s waterways, salmon and endangered orca whales. Here are the event details:

Justin Trudeau Town Hall
11am – 1pm February 2
Vancouver Island University Gymnasium (900 Fifth St Nanaimo)
Registration begins at 9am in the cafeteria
Dogwood BC is organizing a bus from Victoria leaving at 6am.RSVP on Facebook and hitch a ride on the bus!